There’s gold to be found in nearby Fauquier County…if you know where to look

If you have a hankering to revisit that epoch period when our country was brand spanking new and there were those who believed that you could ‘strike it rich’ just by discovering gold, there is a perfect place on the map just waiting for you!

Quick-get in the car and head to Goldvein where you will find Monroe Park, a reconstructed gold mining camp simulating the days when gold mining was in its prime. You might just find some real gold and it’s yours to keep!

If you had to guess the origin of the gold that adorns us, Virginia is likely to be the last place that comes to mind. However, Amber Sorg, historical interpreter, or Todd Bonshire, park manager and curator at Monroe Park, will set you straight. Using local creek sand, they will demonstrate the technique of panning and then turn you loose to pan away.

Sorg explained, “We are the official gold mining interpretative center of the Commonwealth.”

Sorg herself is walking Wikipedia when it comes to gold mining and rocks and minerals found in the state. She literally bubbles over with information and delivers her knowledge with a contagious passion causing you to want to grab your prospector clothes and get busy exploring.

Sorg smiled as she spoke the famous quote,” There’s gold in them there hills”.

Then she stated, “I think the hills they were referring to were in Virginia-not in California during the Gold Rush- as most people think. To prove her point, she pointed to a map and explained, “The gold vein on the east coast extended from Georgia to Maryland. Virginia, at one time, was the third largest gold producing state. There were 19 gold mines in Fauquier County alone. Jefferson even wrote about gold and gold mining.”

“Monroe Park is located on farmland donated by the Monroe family who were interested in preserving the history of gold mining in the local area,” Sorg explained.

Visitors get a real taste of life as it was in the 1800’s by visiting the reconstructed gold mining camp. The museum contains exhibits in several buildings-an assayer’s office, bunkhouse and mess hall.
On site, too, are several pieces of equipment, including large “hornet’s balls” for crushing ore salvaged from the 19 industrial mines nearby.

The hornet’s balls are a ‘must see’ for visitors. Sorg described them “as a way crushing ore.” The ore was placed inside the balls and as the balls rolled, the ore smashed hopefully making the gold easier to find.”

At each camp there was an assayer whose job it was to know how to separate the gold found in the white quartz taken from the local mine and determine if the ore sample was worth keeping

As far as the history of gold mining in Goldvein, Sorg reported, “The mine used nearby was The Franklin Gold Mine. It is no longer accessible to the public without a special permit.”

Bonshire added, “There is little data on just how the mine was run but we think that miners worked in three eight-hour shifts which involved about 75 people. Mining was done around the clock and the mine itself would have been surrounded by lots of buildings. People to work the mines came from all over. We also think they used explosives.” In fact there are still remnants of the dynamite shed at the Franklin Mine site.

The good news is that there is gold to be found at Monroe Park. Gold panning demonstrations are held at 2 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday with an additional demonstration on Saturday at 10 a.m. These demonstrations are free to the public.

The demonstration and actual panning for gold are held in a raised water table containing local creek sand. There is no stream at the park. Bonshire added, “We actually add some gold to the creek sand to assure that some visitors will find gold.” So, with a quick lesson and pan in hand, you may find gold!

On this day, Gail Charnick and her sons, Dylan and Kyle came from Stafford County to try their luck in panning for gold as well as learn a bit of history at the same time.

Sorg did her demonstration, pans were handed out and the tedious fun began. Sorg explained, “Gold is 19.3 times the weight of water, so it is at the bottom.”

The Charnick boys were sure they had gold almost immediately and indeed the gold colored stone sited sparkled brightly. But to their dismay, Sorg said,” You have pyrite-that’s fool’s gold.” Sigh!

The family threesome continued using circular motions with the pans over and over and then, Sorg spotted the real thing in Gail Charnick’s pan.

Granted it was a sliver of gold the size of a flea. With Sorg’s deft maneuvers she got it on her finger tip and into Gail Charnick’s small zip loc bag without a hitch.

Dylan’s eyes lit up as he discovered a beautiful piece of amethyst Kyle was excited when he found a green rock-his favorite color.

Sorg helped the boys pluck out other colorful stones for them to take home as a precious memory of their day.

Sorg thoughtfully explained to the visitors that she and her dad routinely pan for gold. She commented, “People rarely sell the gold that they find.”

Her theory as to why that is went as follows:” It takes two million years for gold to solidify in the vein. Gold will always find a pocket to set into. Then it takes another million years for it to break away by erosion. So when you finally find it, it’s one of kind.”

There is gold to be found and Monroe Park is a great place to learn the technique of panning for gold. Also, there is a good chance of taking home a bit of the real stuff-even if it’s a small amount.

The Gold Mining Camp Museum at Monroe Park is open year round Wednesday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. until 5 p.m. and Sunday noon to 4 p.m. The Gold Mining Camp Museum is closed Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, New Year’s Day and Easter.

More information can be found at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address). Todd Bonshire can be reached at 540-752-5330. Groups are welcome and need to be scheduled in advance.

To get to Monroe Park from Northern Virginia, take I-66 west to Gainesville. Take US 29 south (towards Warrenton/Culpeper); then US 17 south toward Fredericksburg. Take a right on VA 615 (Rock Run Rd.) The Park entrance will be on the left (Gold Dust Parkway).